First-round draft notes

LOS ANGELES (June 25, 2010) — Following are notes from the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, held today at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles:

BENNETT BECOMES TOP CALIFORNIA PICK IN ENTRY DRAFT HISTORY;TWO CALIFORNIANS SELECTED, MOST EVER IN FIRST ROUND

RW Beau Bennett (Gardena, Calif.) of the BCHL Penticton Vees was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins 20th overall, becoming the highest drafted California-born and -trained player in Entry Draft history. Long Beach native D Jonathon Blum was selected by the Nashville Predators 23rd overall in 2007. When the Anaheim Ducks selected RW Emerson Etem (Long Beach, Calif.) with the 29th overall pick it marked the first time that two Californians had been selected in the first round.

RECORD-TYING 10 U.S.-BORN PLAYERS SELECTED IN FIRST ROUND

There were a record-tying 10 U.S.-born players selected in the first round, matching the total of the 2006 and 2007 drafts.

(note: 2010 total does not include Cam Fowler (b. Windsor, Ont.), a dual citizen who represents the United States in international play. Fowler was selected by Anaheim 12th overall.

MOVING UP: FIRST-ROUND PICKS SELECTED AHEAD OF DRAFT RANKINGS

The first round of the 2010 Entry Draft provided fans and prospective players with a few surprises as players made a jump from their Central Scouting ranking to their position on the actual draft board: Joey Hishon (Stratford, Ontario) No. 55 ranked was selected 17th overall by Colorado; Jeff Skinner (Markham, Ontario) No. 34 ranked was selected 7th overall by Carolina; and Jaden Schwartz (Melfort, Saskatchewan) No. 28 ranked was selected 14th overall by St. Louis.

CHL SWEEPS TOP EIGHT SELECTIONS

The top eight picks of the NHL Entry Draft all played for Canadian Hockey League teams in 2009-10. That’s the most to start a draft since 1987, when the first 18 picks were from the CHL.

FIRST-ROUND PICKS WITH NHL TIES

Nick Bjugstad (selected 19th overall by Florida) is the nephew of Scott Bjugstad who played nine NHL seasons spanning 317 games between 1983-84 and 1991-92 with the Minnesota North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.

Jarred Tinordi (selected 22nd overall by Montreal) is the son of Mark, who totaled 1,514 penalty minutes in 12 NHL seasons as a defenseman with the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars and Washington Capitals from 1987-99 — Jarred wears 24, the same number as his father.

Kevin Hayes (selected 24th overall by Chicago) older brother, Jimmy, was selected 60th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008. He is also the second cousin of former NHLers Tom Fitzgerald and Keith Tkachuk.

Charlie Coyle (selected 28th overall by San Jose) is the cousin of former NHL players Tony Amonte and also related to Bobby Sheehan. Amonte was drafted 68th overall in 1988 by the New York Rangers and had 900 points in the NHL playing for New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Calgary (1991-2007). Sheehan was selected by the Montreal Canadiens 32nd overall in the 1969 amateur draft playing 310 NHL games (1969-70 to 1981-82).

Brock Nelson (selected 30th overall by New York Islanders) is the nephew of Dave Christian who was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning team and enjoyed an NHL career that spanned over 1000 games and totaled 773 points. His grandfather, Billy Christian, and great uncle, Roger Christian, played on Team USA’s 1960 gold-medal winning men’s hockey team. Gordon Christian, also his great uncle, played hockey for the University of North Dakota (1947-1950) and was a member of the U.S. Olympic team that won silver in 1956.

morning ilb and all (especially “at least” who apparently has a real problem with me judging from last night’s thread)

Yes, I asked about the linda thing as well. Maybe at least is related to him.

at least
so apparently you have a problem with me getting the pick right and filling an organizational need with mcilrath…………whaaa whaaa. You are quite the poster and thanks for ending some pretty good conversation on the last thread with some great carcillo, way to show your intelligence.

You guys are, by and large, a disaster (with some notable exceptions, of course). It wasn’t Sather who made the pick, it was Gordie Clark. At least get your facts straight if you’re going to bitch, jeeze.

leetch
I’d still like them to take beuke at 40, but mcfarland would also be nice.

this statement from clark says it all for those of you that still question the pick, one phrase in particular says it all:

“A special player doesn’t have to be a top-end scorer or goaltender,” Clark said, after acknowledging that the absence of similar type players in the organization was a factor in the selection. “He’s a special player. With the size, toughness and grit we project, he’s that player.

Now, the fact that mcilrath is more than likely a couple years away, slatipuss (thanks grabby) needs to get some trades and signings going to get a couple of hard hitting physical crease clearing d men on the big club now!!!!!

As most rational responses have said – and as most of the defenders are arguing – it’ll obviously be a while until we can judge whether taking McIlrath was a shrewd move or otherwise.

Why being in favour of the pick has to be portrayed as “nailing it” and Clark’s comments as showing up anyone who “still question the pick”, wicky, is beyond me though. Pepole can’t one the one hand say wait a few years to see who is the better player and on the other criticise anyone who expresses the remotest amount of doubt as just being wrong.

Unless the Rangers know they’re going to struggle to sign McDonough, I can’t see how giving up something of a known quantity who’s got an extra three years or so of development under his belt for a flyer on a third rounder makes much sense. So expect Sather to pull the trigger on that one then…

lw
I meant nailing it as it was the pick I said they should take so I “nailed it”, not the rangers. No matter who they took we will not know until the product has been on the ice at the nhl level for some years. As far as your other “complaint”, the whole point of putting up his quote was for one part of it specifically…(the absence of similar type players in the organization was a factor), and I figured most would realize which part it was. Apparently not. So I guess if everything is a bit confusing I apologize, but in all honesty you seem to be nit picking quite a bit, sorry if you don’t like the pick.

If Gord felt McIrath was worth taking in that spot I’ve got to think he’s a pretty good player. He’s be pretty on the money with his past selections. Del Zotto was able to step right in so you never know. It may not be 3 years til he hits the NHL.

steve
that would be great. Rookie salary for a crease clearer, put the extra money towards a need vet player. I think whenever he comes up the first person he should beat up is girardi for watching gabby get beat up (if girardi is still here)

wicky – understand where you’re coming from and I’m not being all that critical, it’s just that you and (mostly) others seem to think anyone who isn’t 100% in favour of the pick doesn’t even know that the Rangers system isn’t crammed with physical D-men. The implication seemed to be that Clark’s comments somehow “proved” it was the right move – let’s just wait and see on that, eh?

As for my thoughts, I wouldn’t say I don’t like the pick. I’d only express surprise as most have done given how the rankings suggested there was a consensus for Fowler and Gormley to be taken much higher.

Just out of interest, if the Rangers had been picking at #5, would you have still been saying McIlrath over Gormley all week (ignoring forwards and assuming you would’ve passed on Fowler regardless)?

He looks pretty damn good to me for what he is, and what he is, no matter if you like this pick or not, IS WHAT THIS TEAM DESPERATELY NEEDS! Our skill guys, the few that we have, will play even better with a guy like this on our team. When you know you will be protected by a guy on your own team, like this guy will protect, you feel much more safe on the ice. When you feel safe, good things will happen.

wicky it was amusing how you always were asking for a crease clearing defenseman with each and every post. now you ‘re up to 3 of them (at least) plus more in the system. you have absolutely no idea how to build a winning team. one of these guys might be needed. but not half the defense with the likes of witt.

Anyway, who cares. We’ll see if they screwed this up when all three of these D-men play in the NHL. Until then, who cares. This team is doomed.

I’m trying to enjoy what little time I have left to enjoy the hockey-less summer. I’m hoping Slats does absolutely nothing to ruin it for me, cause I know once October rolls along, it’s right back to being moody, and depressed.

Uncle Glennie- Hero: Crack of Noon, Boneheads! Here we are, Ranger Fans, bright and early on day two of our 2010 planning strategy. I’ll be bright, Torts, you can be early. Now let’s hear from our Junior GMan Mess, who’s going to preview his Rangers Farm System overhaul.

Mess: The basic concept is to have a 4-level farm system; with players moving up and down the farm teams as talent and buyouts dictate. The four teams are listed from the top farm team to the bottom.

AHL: The Flyers.
IHL: The Hawks
UHL: The Badgers
EHL: The Skunks.

UGH: Stop! Stop! You mean our top farm team is going to be named the Flyers?!?

Mess: Well, yeah. They’ll be flying back and forth from Hartford to NY. They won’t get to play, no one from Hartford ever gets to actually play in NY, but they sure will rack up frequent flyer miles. So… Flyers.

Just want to say that 90% of the people on this board are just as negative and moronic as Pierre mcguire. You are all really that upset that we took mcklraith 5 spots ahead of his mock draft position? Mcguire aost crapped his pants with his stupid “what a reach” comments about our pick but couldn’t rave enough when st Louis picked scwartz who was Rand way further down.

As for fowler…were the rangers the only team to pass him over? Don’t you think that maybe there was good reason he dropped out of top ten. All you guys are ready to vote fowler into the hof??? Really??? You seen him play live how many times?

Watch the links provided on the undertaker. Read the reports on how he jumped into the #1 dman role on his whl team and excelled. He his a nasty beast at 18…20 year olds feared him when he was 16. He is improving just like johanssen who went from 4th line center to 4th overall pick.

Just for once use commen sense and realize that NOBODY including myself knows more than the PRO NHL scouts who watch these kidsfor years.

Read the Brooks’ article ( link above). If the didn’t take him at 19th, apparently Dalas was ready to take him at 11th. Clark really wanted the guy. And he’s done well with draft picks for us since he took over. I wouldn’t be surprised if he steps into NHL much earlier than we think.

what have we done. we have cap problems and unmoveable contracts and no number one center to play with gabby. our d is soft and our pp is horrific. this team is still the same crap its been the last few years.

Sorry I’m late chimin in here, and this will prob be the only time since its the GF’s bday, but…I love the pick. From what I’ve seen and read of the kid, he’s going to be somebody we really need. Yeah its impossible to say what is going to happen and its ridiculous to say “they should’ve picked this guy over that guy” but I like what he has to offer…no problems whatsoever with it.